Maximum contributions: Accepts contributions until all account balances in 529 plans for the same beneficiary reach $400,000.



Minimum contributions: With lump-sum contributions, the minimum initial contribution is $25; may be waived for Maine residents eligible for certain grants and the minimum subsequent contribution is $25. With the automatic investment plan, there is no initial contribution required but subsequent automated contributions must be at least $25 per month. All contributions must allocate a minimum of $25 per portfolio.



Age-based investment options: Choose between two age-based options with six portfolios each. One invests in BlackRock funds, the other invests in iShares ETFs. Contributions are placed into the portfolio corresponding to the beneficiary's age. The portfolios automatically shift to a more conservative investment allocation over time.

Underlying investments: BlackRock, iShares. The Principal Plus Portfolio consists of one or more guaranteed investment contracts issued by one or more insurance companies, deposits in an interest-bearing FDIC-insured bank account at Bank of America, N.A., and to the extent approved by FAME, corporate fixed-income investments and/or similar instruments.
. The NextGen Savings Portfolio is comprised of an interest-bearing bank deposit account with Bank of America, N.A.



Enrollment or application fee: None.



Account maintenance fee: None



Program management fees: None for the BlackRock Age-Based and NextGen Savings Portfolio; 0.07% for the BlackRock Equity Index Portfolio (no state fee), 0.20% for the iShares portfolios (no state administrative fee).



Expenses of the underlying investments: Ranges from 0.10% to 0.69% (portfolio weighted average) in the age-based and static multi-fund portfolios, 0.12% in the BlackRock Equity Index Portfolio, 0.31% in the iShares Balanced Portfolio. None for the Principal Plus Portfolio and NextGen Savings Portfolio.



Total asset-based expense ratio: 0.00% - 0.69%



Program match on contributions: New accounts opened for Maine residents are eligible for three one-time grants: a NextGen Initial Matching Grant of $200 if the account is opened since January 1, 2011 with at least $25; a NextStep Matching Grant which provides a 50% match on contributions up to $100 per year with a lifetime maximum of $1,000; and a NextGen Automated Funding Grant of $50 by choosing the automated funding option and making six consecutive contributions no less frequently than quarterly, and no less than $25 monthly.

Separately, the Harold Alfond College Challenge makes a one-time $500 grant available to all Maine babies to start a NextGen account before their first birthday, regardless of family income.



State tax deduction or credit for contributions: Contributions to Maine AND non-Maine 529 plans of up to $250 per beneficiary per year are deductible in computing Maine taxable income for taxpayers with federal adjusted gross income of $100,000 or less (single or married filing separate) or $200,000 or less (joint or head of household).

Bankrate disclaimer: The following disclaimer (revised only to the extent necessary to maintain consistent defined terms with Bankate.com’s Terms of Use) shall be displayed on or be accessible from the web pages(s) featuring Company’s Web Site Content: “The information contained in this material and related materials ("Information") is based on information from sources believed to be accurate and reliable and every reasonable effort has been made to make the Information as complete and accurate as possible but such completeness and accuracy cannot and is not guaranteed. The reader and user of the Information should use the Information as a general guide and not as the ultimate source of information. The Information is not intended to include every possible bit of information regarding the Information but rather to complement and supplement information otherwise available and the reader and user should use the Information accordingly. The Information contains information about tax and other laws and these laws may change. The reader and user should realize that any investment involves risk and the assumptions and projections used in the Information may not be how the investments turn out. The reader and user should consult with their own tax, financial and legal advisors about all of the Information.”